Management (MGMT)

School of Management

If a student takes noncore, upper-level business
courses before acceptance to the School of Management,
those courses will not count on an undergraduate degree
application for any major in the school (except as general
elective credit). A grade of C or better must be presented on
the graduation application for each upper-level course in
the major. Prerequisites are strictly enforced. Degree status
is defined as formal admission to the School of Management.

301 People and Organizations (3:3:0).Prerequisites: Completion of at least 48 hours including COMM 100,
101, 104, 220, or 260. This course examines the drivers of
individual and group performance within organizations in
the post-industrial business context. Issues related to
individual and organizational performance are introduced.

312 Principles of Management (3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree status. This course builds on the
fundamental theories and concepts learned in MGMT 301
by examining the nature of managerial work under a range
of business models and under rapidly changing business
conditions. Managerial functions and activities such as
planning, organizing, controlling, staffing, and
decision-making are examined in depth and in the context of current
organizational examples and scenarios.

321 Introduction to Human Resource
Management (3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree status.
Human capital is now the most important asset many firms
use. This course builds on MGMT 301 by introducing key
concepts and techniques that managers need to know in
order to best attract, retain and develop skilled personnel,
based on current practice and theory in Human Resources
Management. Legal and ethical considerations in human
resource management are also emphasized.

323 Teams and Leadership (3:3:0).Prerequisites:
MGMT 301 and degree status. This course focuses on
intensive development of a higher-level skill set for
collaboration and leadership in contemporary environments. Builds
on content introduced in core management coursework
(MGMT 301, 312 and 321). Attention is given to developing
personal leadership capabilities, collaborating in traditional
and
virtual environments, improving group processes,
managing conflict, tolerating ambiguity, improving
communication, creative problem solving, and coaching and
motivating employees.

331 Labor Relations (3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT
301; degree status. This course is an in-depth analysis of
the labor-relations component introduced in MGMT 321
and is designed for management majors interested in
pursuing a human resources career. Course content includes
examination of the foundations of union, labor contracts,
bargaining, and the legal context of union-management relations.

391 Special Topics in Management
(3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT 301 or 302 taken prior to fall 2001; degree
status. Objective is to offer coherent and organized coverage
of important contemporary topics. Specific topics are
announced when course is scheduled.

411 Organization Theory and Development
(3:3:0). Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree
status. This course looks at advanced topics in the design and
development
organizations. Students will move beyond the
fundamentals learned in the management core and develop
detailed understandings, tools, and skills about the
relationships between organizational structure, design, and culture
to improve organizational performance.

412 Diversity in Organizations
(3:3:0). Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree status.
This course builds on MGMT 301 by emphasizing the understanding of, appreciation
for, and skills in addressing organizational issues of
diversity in ethnicity, gender, age, ability, and thought. Diversity
as both a legal issue and a lever for improved individual
and organizational performance will be covered.

421 Advanced Human Resource Management
(3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree status.
This course build on MGMT 321 by examining cutting-edge strategic
technological, and international issues in HRM,
including Human Resource Information Systems. This course is
for management majors interested in an HRM career and
prepares for certification as Professional in Human
Resources (PHR) by the Society for Human Resource Management.

431 Employee Relations (3:3:0).Prerequisites:
MGMT 301; degree status. This course is an in-depth analysis
for management majors interested in pursuing a career in
HRM. Course content focuses on issues in employee relations
from a historical and current perspective.

451 New Venture Creation (3:3:0).Prerequisites:
MGMT 301; degree status. This course is designed to expose
students to the process of conceptualizing and creating a
new venture. Using the central concept of innovation,
students will evaluate opportunities and consider the impact of
the technological environment on opportunity and the
new venture creation process. Additionally, students will
develop business plans in which they address the issues
critical to a start up firm. These issues include
management composition and structure, effective marketing
strategy, operational logistics, legal issues, financial projections
and financing options.

471 Competitive Strategy (3:3:0).Prerequisites:
MGMT 301; degree status. This course explores the sources
of sustained competitive successwhy some firms
outperform others. It focuses on two issues: how a firm uses
human, financial, technological, and information
resources at the business level to compete in a particular
industry, and how a firm at the corporate level chooses the
industries in which it will compete. It gives students the
tools and concepts needed to analyze dynamic industry
environments and firms and then formulate appropriate strategies.

493 Management of Technology (3:3:0).Prerequisites: MGMT 301; degree status. This course uses a
general manager's perspective to explore the relationships
between technology, patterns of competition, and the
development of competitive advantage. Readings and discussions
help explain how firms can exploit technology, whether
they should invest in new technologies, and how they
should respond to technological threats. The application part
ofthe course is a project on advanced technologies issues of
particular relevance to George Mason's business community.

499 Independent Study (1-3:0:0).Prerequisite:
Management majors with at least nine upper-level
management credits. Research and analysis of selected problems or
topics in management must be arranged with an
instructor and approved in writing by the associate dean for
undergraduate programs. Written report required.